


Ever After

by bloodyfandom



Series: Whisperer [3]
Category: NCIS
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-25
Updated: 2013-07-25
Packaged: 2017-12-21 06:50:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/897164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodyfandom/pseuds/bloodyfandom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Because I love you,” Tony shakes his head sadly, “Maybe one of these days you’ll believe it.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ever After

Tony crawls up the mattress, careful not to disturb Gibbs as he lies down beside him. He shifts, easing himself into place so he can gaze at Gibbs’ profile. It becomes apparent soon enough that Gibbs isn’t actually sleeping and Tony smiles sadly, reaching out to stroke Gibbs’ cheek. The skin is dry and a little papery. Not that Tony’s surprised, the other man just plain refuses to moisturize. He’s been a terrible influence in that regard. Tony’s hair is thoroughly peppered with grey now and he hasn’t once thought of coloring it.  
  
“Resting your eyes?” he asks softly.  
  
“Thought I’d take a nap,” Gibbs grumbles, “Can’t get comfortable.”  
  
With a soft sigh, Tony shifts closer, throwing an arm over Gibbs’ middle.  
  
“How’s the pain?”  
  
“It was a knee replacement, Tony, they didn’t hack it off.”  
  
Tony nuzzles his jaw and kisses his ear.  
  
“I’m still mad at you.”  
  
“I wasn’t _trying_ to blow my knee out,” Gibbs snaps.  
  
“You shouldn’t have been jumping around like a jack-ass in the first place. You’re not fifty anymore, Boss,” Tony grins.  
  
“You ever gonna quit calling me that? I haven’t been your boss in ten years.”  
  
“Haven’t you heard of affectionate nicknames? Besides, it’s not like you ever stopped bossing me around.”  
  
Gibbs huffs out a laugh, “Now that you mention it, go get me something to drink.”  
  
“I’ll make you a knuckle sandwich while I’m in the kitchen.”  
  
“Very funny.”  
  
Tony rolls off the bed carefully and tries to hide the worry in his eyes. When he returns Gibbs has the covers thrown back, his leg propped up by pillows as he glares at his knee with what Tony can only describe as betrayal.  
  
“It’s part of getting old, lover,” Tony sighs, mouth quirking up at one corner.  
  
“When did I get too old to play a pick-up game at the park with my buddies?”  
  
“Your ‘buddies’ are a little bit younger than you, Gibbs. Not to _mention_ ,” Tony narrows his eyes, “McGee and Ziva are still doing field work and you are getting _lazy_.”  
  
“I am _not_ getting lazy.”  
  
“You haven’t put your foot in my ass in months. You’re either getting lazy or complacent. Take your pick.”  
  
“I’m…content. Relaxed.”  
  
Tony waves a hand dismissively, “Same thing.”  
  
Gibbs’ eyebrow crawls up towards his hairline and he reaches out patiently for his water. Tony hands it to him with a soft smile that makes Gibbs forget why he was annoyed in the first place.  
  
“Why do you stick with me?”  
  
“Not having another midlife crisis, are you?”  
  
“Tony…”  
  
“Because I love you,” Tony shakes his head sadly, “Maybe one of these days you’ll believe it.”  
  
The water makes his teeth ache with cold but he chugs it down anyway, thankful that at least they’re still his teeth. He looks down at his body, getting softer with age and mentally snarls at the uncertainty he feels. It only goes downhill from here and Tony is still so much younger, so full of life. Gibbs just feels like he’s dragging the other man down.  
  
“Stop feeling sorry for yourself,” Tony snaps.  
  
“What?”  
  
“I can see it on your face. I’m in it for the long haul, you idiot. This is what I want and if you try to push me away again, so help me Gibbs, I will break both of your legs.”  
  
Tony kneels at his side, his own knees beginning to creak with age and Gibbs winces with sympathy.  
  
“I love you,” Tony insists, “I’ve loved you for so long now I can’t remember what not loving you ever felt like. At the end of the day I get to come home to you and no matter how shitty that day has been, knowing you’ll be here makes everything ok. I had options. I got other offers, you know? _None of them measured up_ and I am too _goddamned_ old to start looking again. So suck it up, Marine. You’re stuck with me.”  
  
“Sorry,” Gibbs smiles, threading his fingers through Tony’s hair.  
  
“Are we done being sappy old men now?”  
  
Gibbs laughs and nods, “Yeah, Tony, we’re done.”  
  
“Good,” Tony warbles, pressing his face into Gibbs’ chest.  
  
“You feel like entertaining me?”  
  
“When don’t I? Just let me order something and we’ll spend the day in bed,” Tony grins, waggling his eyebrows.  
  
“Doc said no strenuous activity.”  
  
“Is being on the receiving end of a fantastic blow-job strenuous activity?”  
  
“Dunno. Why don’t you call him and ask?”  
  
Tony whips out his phone and dials a number.  
  
“Hi, got a question for you. Would you consider receiving a blow-job strenuous activity?...Mmm-hmm…right…knee surgery…really?...you don’t say?...well, thank you, you’ve been really helpful….yeah. Ok, bye-bye.”  
  
The look on Gibbs face went from disbelieving to faintly scandalized to greatly amused so quickly that Tony had trouble keeping his face straight.  
  
“Jimmy says you should be ok as long as you keep your knee elevated and don’t flail.”  
  
“You called Palmer?”  
  
“He _is_ our ME.”  
  
For a second Gibbs is swept over with sadness and Tony sighs.  
  
“Keep forgetting Ducky’s gone.”  
  
“It’s been almost a year.”  
  
“I know, it’s just…keep feeling like he’s gonna call me.”  
  
“Yeah, I know,” Tony smiles sadly, “Chinese?”  
  
“Japanese.”  
  
“Sushi?”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
“Jethro?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“I really, really love you.”  
  
“Yeah, Tony. I heard you the first time.”  
  
With a smirk Tony shrugs, “Just checking.”


End file.
